Лучшие сказки загадочной Шотландии. Уровень 1 / The Best Tales of Enchanted Scotland

In the centre of the large apartment many Fairies, Elves, and Sprites danced to the music of a tiny set of bagpipes. A brown-faced[21 - 1 brown-faced – смуглолицый] Gnome played it. The Gnome sat on a ledge of rock far above their heads.

Farquhar came suddenly down in their midst. They all stopped, and looked at him in alarm. But then they saw that he was not hurt. They bowed gravely. Then they went on with their work and with their play.

Farquhar liked to dance very much. So he asked the Fairies to join them.

They looked surprised at his request. But then they allowed him to do so. In a few minutes the young man danced with them.

As he danced a strange change came over him. He forgot about the flour. He forgot his home. He forgot everything. He only knew that he wanted to remain with the Fairies all the rest of his life[22 - all the rest of his life – на всю оставшуюся жизнь].

And he remained with them. A magic spell was cast over him. He could be invisible and sip the dew from the grass and honey from the flowers daintily and noiselessly.

Time passed by. One night he and his merry companions set out for a long journey through the air. They started early. They intended to pay a visit to the Man in the Moon and be back again before cock-crow[23 - 3 cock-crow – пение петуха].

During the flight Farquhar fell in love with a young Fairy Maiden. He did not see a cottage that was right in his way. Suddenly he struck against the chimney.

Then he stuck fast in the thatch.

His companions sped merrily on.

Farquhar glanced down the wide chimney. In the cottage kitchen he saw a lovely young woman. She had a rosy-cheeked baby in her arms. Now Farquhar was in his mortal state again. He liked children very much. A word of blessing rose to his lips. He looked at the mother and child and said,

“God shield you[24 - God shield you. – Храни вас Бог.]”.

The Holy Name crossed his lips.

The spell was broken. Instantly his thoughts flew to his friends at home. His thoughts flew to the Mistress and to her flour. He was sure that he was absent for some weeks. So he hurried to the farm.

He arrived in the neighbourhood. Everything seemed strange. There were woods, and walls in the neighborhood! To his amazement, he did not find his way to the farm. He expected to find his father's house. But he found a crop of rank green nettles.